A US$ 1.4 billion ( S$ 1.87 billion ) mega-resort will be located in Japan’s white Myoko hills in the coming three seasons, with resorts charging about US$ 1,350 per night.
The Patience Capital Group (PCG) project promises to boost winter tourism and build 1, 000 work. European interest has become a double-edged sword for several Myoko locals, threatening sprawl, sky-high prices, and the eradication of traditional tradition.
Some hotels, ski rental stores, and cafes in Akakura, one of five major ski resorts in the Myoko place, had been seized by foreigners even before the announcement of PCG’s attention.
However, they only care about the snow, which eventually melts, closing those companies. The city, which was once a bustling hot springs destination, is no longer enough to draw a lot of visitors during the rest of the time.
Masafumi Nakajima, owner of the native inn Furuya and head of the 200-year-old city’s hot spring-inn tourism organization, said,” If you come to Akakura in summer, it’s sound dark at night. He estimates that just 10 of Akakura’s 80 hotels are open year-round.
Myoko, along with the more well-known Chinese ski areas of Niseko and Hakuba, is known for its powder winter, nicknamed” Japow,” and is located about 2.5 hours by train from Tokyo in Niigata district.
The resort areas are a significant component of Japan’s boom in tourism, which was also fueled by a weak yen, which saw inbound tourist arrivals increase by 17 % in February, reaching a record high for that month.
Nakajima claimed that Akakura’s some foreign business owners have turned down membership in the regional tourism relationship. There are many violations of the law by both companies and travelers, including late-night fireworks and overparking, among others.
We have no idea who they are or what they’re doing. They simply vanish when the flower arrives, he said. Nakajima has just begun speaking with local organizations to discuss the town’s regulations.
OUTPUT PRICED
Some residents are concerned that Myoko might follow Niseko’s path.
Due to high-end unusual developments, the resort on Hokkaido’s northern island has grown to be a popular winter sports destination, but locals who chose not to offer have higher taxes as a result. Locals and the majority of private travelers have been priced out of the market due to the rising prices there, which ranges from labor costs to a dish of ramen.
Hakuba, in the Japanese Alps, has followed a similar trend, while one township in Myoko has already seen property prices rise by up to 9 % last year.
Ken Chan, the founder of PCG from Tokyo, said he is aware of the concerns his job, which will have 350 acres and two alpine slopes, has.
PCG wants to promote its two planned luxury accommodations for business meetings year-round and is looking into savings when it’s not busy for local people who want to snow or ski, he told Reuters.
In the upcoming weeks, he also intends to hold a meeting with citizens.
Mayor of Myoko City, Yoji Kido, expressed cautious optimism about PCG’s creation programs, but he has not heard much more.
Kido is considering new laws for larger projects starting in the 2027 fiscal year because it has been receiving more inquiries from foreign investors and is aware of local concerns.
He said,” It’s going to be an exceedingly large development for our city.” ” I can’t deny that things aren’t worry-free,” he said.
Koji Miyashita, the owner of a half-century-old Akakura store that sells steamed buns stuffed with dark bean paste, admitted that as Westerners scurry through the town’s streets, it can sometimes feel like he doesn’t live there.
According to him, the development in Myoko should help preserve the culture of the area.” We don’t want to be another Niseko,” he said.